On September 2, 2026, multiple federal financial regulatory bodies issued a joint statement clarifying confidentiality requirements for Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs), specifically concerning bank communications with customers about potential fraud.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), and the National Credit Union Administration collaborated on this guidance. This statement, issued as OCC Bulletin 2026-43, aims to provide clarity to national banks, federal savings associations, and other financial institutions.
The clarification is intended to help financial institutions navigate the balance between SAR confidentiality and the need to communicate with customers regarding fraudulent transactions, ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations.